Kaplan GMAT 2011 Premier: Book Review
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The following book review was written by Dana Jinaru. Dana is currently a finance student in Europe and also serves as a moderator for Beat The GMAT. On May 13, 2009 she scored a 770 on the GMAT.
Here is Dana’s analysis of the Kaplan Premier book.
[Editor's Note, Aug. 30, 2010] The review below was originally written for the Kaplan GMAT Premier 2010 book. Dana recently reviewed the Kaplan GMAT 2011 Premier book. She did not see any significant changes made to this latest edition, thus her comments below for the 2010 book apply to the 2011 book as well.
Overview
Kaplan GMAT Premier Live Online is the general GMAT strategy guide developed by one of the best-known companies in the test prep industry. It’s a good all-in-one book, but because the GMAT tests so many topics, in my opinion it just scratches the surface of each section.
The current edition represents the rebranding of the Kaplan Premier Program book, with the differences between the two clearly stated on the front cover of the Live Online book. The most important difference is that all computer-based material is now available strictly online. This somehow “fixes by destruction” the issues that students have had with the CD of the previous edition, which would not run on certain operating systems; I for one could not make the previous CD run on Windows Vista. However, note that the computer-adaptive tests (CATs) on the CD (as well as quizzes and other material) were in fact available on the Internet for the previous edition as well – this was the only way I could access them, as instructed by customer care. To gain access to the online material, you will need to sign up using an unique code. Thus, if you’re considering buying the used book, you should think again. Not only is the code good for just one registration, but also access will expire after 6 months from date of registration. Other differences include:
- One free live online event with Kaplan teachers
- Fast Fact videos (concepts in video format)
- A slightly modified layout of pages (the so-called Expert Exclusive bubbles)
- Question highlighting for the so-called Master Qs (although the extent to which they are more difficult than others is debatable).
Content stays the same though, so if you can make the CD of an older version work, then go for it.
The book deals with all 5 GMAT question types in similarly structured chapters: strategy, tips, 50 practice questions, answers and explanations. There are also two separate chapters, Math Skills Refresher (with a pretty general, but still solid math overview and a few practice questions for each major topic) and Math Word Problems.
Pros
- Good all-in-one book, providing a decent value for your money. The book includes a good strategy guide, access to online material and 5 CATs + 1 paper test in the book
- Useful and easy-to-understand strategies, neatly structured material.
- The book begins with an in-depth analysis of the test which I believe is worth your time to review
- At 250 questions in the 5 chapters plus 95 problems in the Math Skills Refresher, the Kaplan Premier Live Online book offers a wide range of practice questions. Explanations for quantitative problems are pretty easy to understand as well, with tips and tricks for a better performance
- Online access to material means you can practice wherever and whenever you want, provided you have a computer with Internet access
Cons
- This book doesn’t go very deep on GMAT topics tested. If you feel that you’re having trouble with a specific topic, it’s worthwhile to invest in a more targeted product (for instance, Manhattan GMAT and PowerScore both provide focused practice and strategy with their respective GMAT guides)
- I thought the practice questions in this book mimicked actual GMAT questions okay, but not great; particularly in Critical Reasoning (questions do not have the clear cut structure of The Official Guide for GMAT Review) and Reading Comprehension (passages too long and convoluted).
- Explanations for verbal questions could use some work as well. Example: Kaplan overuses phrases like “scope shift” without proper clarification
- CAT scoring has often been the target of criticism. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed that people usually score higher on the real GMAT than in Kaplan CATs (perhaps this is a pro?)
- A more in-depth lesson on math word problems would have been nice
Bottom Line
As a general strategy guide, Kaplan GMAT Premier Live Online gets high marks. However if you’re looking for help and depth on a specific topic, you may need to purchase some supplemental guides elsewhere. I do believe that the book provides a good introduction to the test and will certainly help you improve your score (by the way, they have a higher score guarantee), but up to a certain degree. Used in conjunction with the Official Guide for practice, the Kaplan Premier Program will provide a solid basis for your prep.
If you’re interested in purchasing the Kaplan GMAT 2010 Premier Live Online book, click here
Read more book reviews in the Beat The GMAT Book Recommendations section.
47 comments
PRC on February 25th, 2010 at 1:10 am
Hi Dana,
Your reviews are just fantastic!! Excellent for someone who wants an idea about materials for preparation.Can you suggest a GMAT Math Guide which will be adequate for people who have good math basics and are in pursuit of high scores?
DanaJ on February 25th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Well, I hear the MGMAT series is good, but I'll probably review them a bit later. The math in their tests was quite challenging, but I haven't had the chance to go over them in depth. I'll probably do so in the near future.
You can also try to search the forums for tough problems, using keywords like "permutations", "standard deviation"... People usually post the harder stuff they have trouble with and get good advice from our experts and tutors!
Good luck!
Mike on March 11th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Do you know if the cd rom practice tests are different from the previous volumes' practices tests?
DanaJ on March 11th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
This edition does not have a CD - it's all online. I don't think they've changed their CATs - since they haven't made any significant changes in the book (apart from formatting), then I suppose that they have also kept the CATs as they were. Note that I have not tried the CATs of this edition though!
sasi on April 7th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
I was expecting star rating for this book too... The star rating was useful for other reviews. I guess i should buy this book. The review seems fine..
DanaJ on April 7th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
It has four stars out of five - you can see all the stars to all the (currently published - because you'll soon see more) reviews!
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/books
Patrick on June 21st, 2010 at 3:30 pm
I was looking into buying this book and I've found it on amazon. However, I was concerned with the online portion being valid when buying the book.
After this I wen to Kaplan's website and this book does not seem to have been reproduced for 2011. Is Kaplan GMAT 2011 Premier with CD-ROM that will be released on the 29th expected to be a valid replacement?
DanaJ on June 21st, 2010 at 10:05 pm
I really have no idea if there will be any consistent differences between the editions, but my guess is that there won't be. I'm a bit suspicious of the CD since when I bought the book (2009), the CD did not work on Vista, which had already been released for two years. Anyway, I myself used the online access code for the tests and questions and I believe you could do the same. The problem is it expires pretty soon - it's either three or six months from the day when you first register.
DB on June 30th, 2010 at 3:21 am
I would like to know whether the scores of Online Practice GMAT'S with this book are also deflated like in previous ones or they have fixed the scoring algorithm.
DanaJ on June 30th, 2010 at 3:30 am
The scoring algorithm was a bit off when I took the test in the 2009 edition, but not necessarily downward trending. I even got an 800 once, despite having a few mistakes...
I can't answer your question with 100% certainty because I haven't taken any of the tests that come with this edition, but I suspect they're probably the same, since the book has not seen significant changes for the past two editions.
akhilesh Prasad on August 9th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Hi DanaJ OR Anyone,
I found that new edition of this book has came up. I believe that it must be better that 2010 Ed. It contains boom, CD and online access.
I would like to purchase it. Please suggest.
URL: http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GMAT-2011-Premier-CD-ROM/dp/1419549898/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281339388&sr=1-1
Kaplan GMAT 2011 Premier with CD-ROM (Kaplan Gmat Premier Live)
Books + CD ROM + Online
Paperback: 696 pages
Publisher: Kaplan Publishing (June 29, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1419549898
ISBN-13: 978-1419549892
DanaJ on August 9th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Honestly I would not bet on the book having many improvements simply because Kaplan does not bring major revisions to its books year-to-year. I think it's the only prep company that releases books with numbers on them (i.e. 2010, 2011), which "compels" them to release a new one each year just because people don't want to feel like they're studying from an outdated edition.
You can of course buy the newest edition, but if you already have previous editions, I'm telling you they're just as good.
akhilesh Prasad on August 9th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Here they provide 5 CAT online test, which I believe error free.
I don't have 2010 Ed book.
DanaJ on August 9th, 2010 at 9:04 am
OK then, you can simply buy the 2011 edition! Good luck!
Dean on December 10th, 2010 at 1:29 am
hi Dana,
thanks for the great review,
but i have a question, i have registered in a GMAT course and we are using the Kaplan GMAT Premier 2010-2011 book, but the tutor explains the math section more deeply than in the book, do you think this will be enough to score at least 720 on the GMAT,
thanks again
DanaJ on December 10th, 2010 at 1:37 am
I'm not sure, to be honest. As far as the book is concerned on its own, I don't think it's enough for a 720 for someone who started out at a 580, for instance. But if you were doing relatively well to begin with, then it may just be enough. I for one started at a 700 and didn't really do that much for quant anyway, so for me it would have been enough.
However, you've clearly indicated that your teacher explains stuff in more detail, so that may compensate for it.
Dean on December 10th, 2010 at 3:11 am
hmmm,
ok,
what if i used both Kaplan premier and "The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition" ???
would that be enough?
chandra on December 18th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Hi Dana,
Could please suggest some good math book for gmat, which covers concepts and practice problems well to achive 750+.
Thanks,
Chandra
DanaJ on December 18th, 2010 at 10:37 am
The most complete resource is the Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides. However, you may not need all of them depending on your current level. I can't think of one specific resource which contains only hard problems, unfortunately.
Aniket on February 1st, 2011 at 1:59 am
Hello DanaJ
It's really good that you are helping people with usefull advice.
I hope you could also help me out.
I am planning to give GMAT next year i.e 2012. I know there is lot of time left for preparation but along with that I am focusing on my profile. Till the time I give GMAT, I would be completing around 36 months of work exp. I am also a member of different Community Service Groups (NGO's).
I would be able to take out some free time for preparetion on weekends. I am weak wih Maths
So could you let me know where to start from:
1. Which Books to buy first and then after completing that which Books I should refer. Tell me for all Sections.
Thanks
Aniket
DanaJ on February 1st, 2011 at 3:20 am
For people who have trouble with quant, I usually recommend the Manhattan GMAT series of 5 guides. For verbal, it depends what you really need help with, but you can also go with the Manhattan books or the Veritas Prep/PowerScore ones. The Official Guide is a must for practice, though!
Dean on February 9th, 2011 at 3:49 am
Hay Dana,
I am back after my first try on the gmat.
I studied for the exam as much as possible but i was stuck with the time problem, i am very good at the quant. and good at the verbal, but because i kept loosing time on some questions i got 540 in total.
Is there a way or a technique to use to speed up the way i answer questions?
And if i could, do you think i will be able to reach a 650?
DanaJ on February 9th, 2011 at 5:01 am
Well, you should first and foremost practice with a timer every single time. You can find one in our forums, just go to any thread of a question and you'll see it at the top. This should help you with timing a bit. However, taking too much time on problems may be a sign that you're not yet comfortable with the concepts/theory. I'm not sure how well your tutoring sessions went, so I can't really say anything about that, but if you feel like you need more theoretical help you can try some other books. My faves are:
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 guides for quant
- PowerScore CR Bible
- Manhattan GMAT SC guide
- Veritas Prep RC guide
- the Official Guides
Krish on February 15th, 2011 at 7:13 am
HI Dana,
i took my first attempt a year back and my quant - 32% and verbal - 42%. my AWA score is 4.... i did not complete the Verbal section because of time....i heard leaving few questions might be very costly...is it true??? i was looking for score of around 650 in first attempt..but got 500....Actually i did not do a proper prep though attended a course for the same... i prep only with course material that too without OG and any of the books suggested .so i believe doing a proper prep would help a lot...but my math score worries me as i completed it on time though without proper prep... But thid time i am looking to hit the 700+ deck..i read the reviwes about the books...can you suggest what would best suit for my prep??? any other suggestions that you have for my prep?
DanaJ on February 15th, 2011 at 9:18 am
Each question left unanswered is a problem for your score. On an official presentation, we heard that someone who was estimated at a 75th percentile in quant but didn't answer 5 questions got his score to a 60th percentile. So that means that for each question left blank, you get penalized about 3%.
Both your scores indicate that you need quite a bit of help in both sections, especially since you're targeting a 700 score. The list of books in my previous comment should also do it for you. If not, you can try subscribing for your 60-day study guide: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-guide
Krish on February 15th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Thanks for that Dana..i will check on the books...actually i have skipped atleast 5-6 questions and had to guess another 2 -3 which has brought down my verbal score..i believe otherwise i would have a decent score on verbal...anyway thanks
Krish on February 15th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Also you have suggested Manhattan's book as better ones but as per the 60 day study plan they are using Kaplan's guide...which is actually better? suggestion please!!!!!
DanaJ on February 16th, 2011 at 1:41 am
The 60-day study guide is based on a mix of Kaplan and Manhattan books. There is a lot of overlap between the Kaplan book and the Manhattan set. I personally prefer the Manhattan books, but if you need to have more detailed daily instructions then go for the books recommended by the guide and follow the guide.
Krish on February 16th, 2011 at 9:21 am
Makes sense...Thanks a lot!!!!!
aida on February 28th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Hi Dana,
I have never taken the GMAT before. Do you think this book is a good starting point or is it just recomended for those who have already tried it and want to score higher?
Thanks,
Aida
DanaJ on March 1st, 2011 at 12:26 am
Hey Aida,
Yes, this is a pretty good book for people who are just starting out. I also recommend the Official Guide 12th edition for some practice!
Nitin Reddy on May 22nd, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Hi Dana,
This is the first time I would be giving GMAT and I am targeting to give it by end of Aug or
beginning of Sep.
I recently bought Official Guide 12th Edition. I was looking for other books as well. Now,
do you suggest me to go for Manhattan or Kaplan GMAT Premier? I am thinking of getting
my hands on Kaplan GMAT 800 as well.
Could you please help me? As this is the first time, I am not quite sure how I should approach
the exam and maximize my scores?
Thanks.
Nitin Reddy on May 22nd, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Also, I would need to get my hands on couple of practice tests.
Suggest some please.
DanaJ on May 23rd, 2011 at 12:21 am
I think Manhattan GMAT is the more complete set, but it's also a lot more expensive to buy the whole set versus buying just the Kaplan book. I wasn't too pleased with Kaplan GMAT 800 because this book is not as "advanced" as they claim. Here's a review of it: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2009/12/09/kaplan-gmat-advanced-2009-2010-edition-book-review
There are a few free GMAT tests available and most of them are listed in the top right widget on our website. There's also the official software from mba.com with two tests: http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/download-free-test-preparation-software If you buy an MGMAT book, you'll also receive an access code to more practice tests (their tests are widely considered to be the best besides the official software). If you buy the Kaplan Premier book, it should also contain a CD with tests as well.
Nitin Reddy on May 23rd, 2011 at 2:48 am
Thanks a lot for the info, Dana.
Gayatri Iyer on June 22nd, 2011 at 6:11 am
Hi Dana,
Great to read your posts and review!
I have referred the Princeton review and almost 70 % of the OG-12 before giving my 1st Practice Test. I scored 550. My main problem areas being : time.
Math: I could reach only 23 Questions in Math (out of which 19 were correct) and the rest I marked random answers to avoid losing marks.
Verbal: I could reach only 33 Questions (total 15 incorrect) and marked random answers to the rest.
After analysing my score in detail I clearly understand that although my concepts are clear (I knew the answers to most of the problems I dint even attend) I have few problem areas:
1) TIme Management
2) Suggest a good book on improving Math Speed. Personally, I get slowed down in problems for sequences, work-rate problems, Probability.
My current approach: Targeting to solve the rest of OG and start with Kaplan to practice. I am also planning to give 2 tests weekly to know where I stand.
I am definitely targeting a score above 720 and I am ready to practice as much as I can to reach the score.Kindly give me your expert views. Thanks much, Dana!
Regards,
Gayatri Iyer
DanaJ on June 22nd, 2011 at 6:21 am
Heh, actually, Stacey Koprince wrote a really nice 2-article series on timing. Find it here: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/06/22/everything-you-need-to-know-about-time-management-part-2
I wasn't very happy about the theoretical part of the Princeton Review's book, to be honest. I would recommend using something else. The Kaplan book is pretty good, Manhattan GMAT books are even better (they have a series of 5 guides).
You say that you could solve most problems given enough time. The thing is, almost everyone can do that, which is why the GMAT is not easy for most people. Your timing issue is quite severe, so I'm inclined to attribute at least part of it to not knowing the right approach, which boils down to not knowing your theory very well. I feel that you also need to work on that before you jump into more practice!
Guru Sankar on August 6th, 2011 at 11:29 pm
Hi,
i ve just finished my engineering and i m wautung for my doj in a IT company..Meanwhile i have decided to prepare for GMAT exam..please tell me the syllabus for verbal,quants and analytical..also please suggest me the best books to buy...
DanaJ on August 7th, 2011 at 12:25 am
There isn't a syllabus that I'm aware of... In fact, to my knowledge, a syllabus is usually used for courses rather than the test itself. Here are some of my favorite books:
- Official Guide for the GMST 12th ed
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
- Manhattan GMAT SC guide
- PowerScore CR Bible
- Veritas Prep RC book
tanmayee on September 8th, 2011 at 8:00 am
Hi Dana, I am a GMAT aspirant and I am confused . I started my preparation with princeton review, and currently I am practising and analyzing the OG questions. I want to buy a book, preferably Kaplan premier online , also for access to the practice tests. My question is will this book be a good buy or should I go for Kaplan Gmat advanced( i hv read review here)?? and also can you please suggest from where can I get/buy more practice tests other than the GMAC ones?
DanaJ on September 8th, 2011 at 9:31 am
I think this is a better choice. Also, this book comes with practice tests while Kaplan Advanced does not. You could check out the Manhattan GMAT books, those are pretty good - they also come with access to 5 practice tests. I believe you can buy access to the practice tests online at their store too, but it's a bit more convenient for you to just buy one of the books and use the access code inside (they cost about $15 on amazon.com).
Alekhya on October 19th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Hey Dana,
.Please let me know which book i need to refer first.
I am totally confused between Kaplan Premier/Kaplan Premier Online and Kaplan 800. I am scoring 42-45 in Math and really want to increase my score. I heard Kaplan is a good start after you finish MGMAT Guides. Can u please hep me decide
DanaJ on October 19th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Hmm... I wouldn't really recommend using Kaplan after using the MGMAT guides. Those guides are a lot more complete than Kaplan, so I feel you wouldn't be gaining that much. If you're looking for some hardcore advanced quant practice, then try MGMAT's Advanced quant book!
Kaplan Premier is the same thing as Kaplan Premier Online. It's a general strategy guide (it basically contains the condensed version of the info you find in MGMAT guides). Kaplan 800 is a collection of questions that are supposed to be difficult (I'm not convinced though!).
Urvis on October 21st, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Hi Dana,
Really liked your reviews for all the books. They are really quite helpful. Thanks
I wanted to know what practice test series should i take? I am looking to get acquainted with CAT. Which online test series, in your opinion, is closer to the actual GMAT?
I have just started my prep so I also wanna know whether i should give a test now and prepare accordingly or start with practice tests only after i have prepared enough, or at least a bit. I am out of touch with anything related to studies since the last 3years.
DanaJ on October 21st, 2011 at 2:45 pm
GMATPrep from mba.com (the free software) is of course the closest to the actual thing. Manhattan GMAT tests are considered second best and I've heard good reviews for Veritas as well. However, I wouldn't rely too much on CATs: they're useful for pacing and figuring out your weaknesses, but they won't teach you anything per se. You're much better off studying from some good books than taking too many tests! Just take one test every week or every other week.
Urvis on October 22nd, 2011 at 12:34 am
Thanks for the reply
Yeah i know. I just wanted to get adapted to CATs for speed and finding out my weak areas as you have mentioned. For study material i have MGMAT set of 8 guides, OGs and Kaplan. Is that enough or i should be doing something else?
DanaJ on October 22nd, 2011 at 12:52 am
Nope, that's definitely enough!